New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner pictured alongside
his wife Huma Abedin (Credit: AP)

I have known Huma Abedin for several years and cannot believe the mess she’s gotten into.

Huma was the striking young woman always at Hillary Clinton’s side, talented, beautiful and professional, always on top of her brief.

Now I see her on TV desperately defending her sleazy husband Anthony Weiner as daily revelations appear about his sexting to what may turn out be dozens of women.

I have met Weiner too. He came to my office two years ago when he was considering running for New York City mayor.

I took an instant dislike. He was arrogant and overbearing and seemed to suffer from ADD as he fiddled with his phone and gave no indication he was listening.

I don’t deny he was smart and passionate, especially on TV, but he was by all accounts a dreadful person to work for, firing staff at will.

His latest series of revelations surely disqualify him from ever being mayor.

In the process, I hope he does not destroy Huma.

Their unlikely marriage had heads shaking way back when the news became public.

The arrogant, overbearing congressman seemed a poor match for a woman who deeply impressed all who knew her, and who displayed a rare gift in sorting out who had access to Hillary.

Politics do indeed make strange bedfellows, but Huma and Weiner were the strangest of all.

I am not surprised she is standing with him. Her overwhelming sense of loyalty, honed during the Clinton years, was always one of her key characteristics.

But I worry that Weiner has destroyed this talented young woman who began as an intern with Hillary and has worked her way to the status of surrogate Clinton daughter.

Hillary must be beside herself seeing what is happening to one of her favorite people.

It will bring back the many bad memories of Monica Lewinsky, but worse, it will permanently scar a young woman who seemed on a path to the very top.

As for Weiner, it is absurd and ridiculous that he should remain in the race for New York mayor.

This great city deserves a lot better, and there is no question in my mind that more Weiner sexting revelations are on the way.

He should never have entered the race anyway. Clearly his sexual addiction had got the better of him, and he was unable to recognize that reality.

Now he has dragged his wife and son into the fray, and the sight of Huma valiantly defending him has caused much pain and anguish among her close friends.

Weiner needs to retire. Huma needs to find out whether there is any marriage left after all these revelations.

And New Yorkers need to pick a candidate for mayor whose private life will stay out of the public arena, and who will focus on what the city needs.

The last thing we need is to deal with the ambition of a wayward politician who has already done the city too much damage.